New Zealand Telecom switched off its 20 year old TDMA network (025) over the weekend. The closure marks the final stage in three years of planning, implementation and customer communications, which encouraged customers to migrate to the operator''s CDMA (027) network.

Telecom''s GM of Consumer Marketing, Kevin Bowler said "When 025 was launched on 10 August 1987 we planned for 10,000 customers. We got that many in the first year alone and had to immediately begin building capability for 100,000 users. 025 was the beginning of mobile''s rise in NZ, it will be sad to see it go but there is a genuine need to retire the network."

Both the 025 network and 025 phones are increasingly difficult to repair with parts scarce and very few countries still operating a TDMA network.

Mr Bowler said overall 027 coverage was superior to 025 and provided a wider range of voice and data services like SMS, picture messaging, video recording and internet access. Less than 10 percent of 025 handsets were text capable.


Source: cellular-news

Tags:TDMA | CDMA